Kristie McNealy, MD

This weekend, a quick trip to a local big box store ended in a discussion about why some people choose to smoke around their kids. The topic came up when we walked past a woman smoking in front of the store, while several young kids (who appeared on casual observation to be hers) played [...]

Smoking during pregnancy is known to increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). When a baby is born, certain chemicals called catecholamines are released from the adrenal glands, signaling the baby to take its first breath and transition to life outside the womb. In adults, the adrenal gland is controlled [...]